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Tuesday, 23 July 2013

I like curves....

I like curves or corners or bends, whatever you prefer to call them, they are probably the main reason that i enjoy driving so much. They also probably help explain my choice of cars as well, going fast in a straight line has never held massive appeal to me, acceleration sure, but top speed? Anything over the magic 'ton' always seems to be a wee pointless to me anyway, especially in these days of speed cameras, mobile speed vans and undercover police cars everywhere. To me its always been about the corners, flowing from one into the next, feathering the throttle whilst dabbing the brake with my left foot, feeling the rear start to slide before giving it a wee more throttle and pulling the car through to the next one. Feeling the buzz just writing about it. Han's looking at me funny...

Anyway, there is a purpose to all this rambling of my love for the clipping of apexes. Simply put, the roads that i have driven here yesterday on the way to our current site, are some of the best i have ever driven. Proper mountain roads, mile after mile of smooth flowing corners, undulations, positive camber corners which you can fly into before having to scrub off major speed for the next as the camber isn't so friendly! It's a shame that there was so much weight in the car (not just referring to my passenger!) as without that they would of been even better! Anyway, here's some pictures of said roads, taken by Han strapped into the passenger seat, as well as some of us at the top of the local 'Col', around 1400m in altitude.

Curve...

After bend...

After corner...

Until finally, we reached the top!

Talking of bends and corners, yesterday on the way to Camping La Cascade, i got a wee excited when we drove past a big red building with 'Caterham' on the side of it, Han couldn't understand my excitement, so to explain, i drove inside...

I really wanted to get a phone of Tim in the line up, but Han wouldn't let me...

What she doesn't know is that we're due to drive back past there tomorrow...

Today we have been up to very little, we went into the town of Meyrueis this morning which was pretty with a lovely river running through the middle of the town. Stupidly i left the camera in the car, so you'll just have to picture it in your heads. We then stocked up on supplies of biscuits, jaffa cakes and water. Oh, and crisps. All essential supplies i'm sure you'll agree!

I did some work on the car, nothing major or even that exciting, just general checks, adjusted the mixture again for the change in altitude, checked fluids, general spanner checks. So far so good! Wheel bearings are starting to make a rumbling noise though, they've been becoming more and more vocal since we left so they're probably due a change by now. Luckily i brought some with me, along with a ball joint splitter and a large breaker bar. It's almost like i knew they'd need changing!

That's pretty much it for now, and apologies to the non-petrolheads among you for the rather car related post. I'll make sure the next one has barely a whiff of petrol.

Joe.

Arriving at La Cascade. The bike really wasn't necessary, he could of pointed to the pitch!